Rocktober 2009

October brought a great season of rock climbing in Yosemite Valley, CA...great routes, great weather, and great folks to hang out with. We were fortunate to be able to spend almost three weeks in the Valley. The following are a few pictures of some different climbs. Highlights from the trip include Royal Arches, Serenity Crack, the East Buttress of El Cap, and the Nose of El Cap, and other great adventures. Here is a photo of our first day relaxing in El Cap Meadow checking out some climbing parties on El Capitan.

Here I am getting the rack together in the van.

Sunset on Half Dome...view from Dinner Ledge on Washington Column.

Here is Tyler on the East Buttress of El Cap.

I am mid-pitch on another section of the East Buttress of El Cap.

Tyler leading on the Great Roof of the Nose of El Cap.

Me cleaning on the Great Roof.

Me leading the Pancake Flake of the Nose.

A shot Tyler took looking down the Nose at the anchor after the Great Roof.

Tyler about to head into the Changing Corners pitch on the Nose.

View from the top of El Capitan, looking towards Royal Arches, Washington Column, and Half Dome.

Great trip...left with a lot of excitement for a return and more projects. Now back in Ashford with a few ski days under the belt and psyched for the predicted snow storm for the next couple days!

- Laura, Whittaker Mountaineering

Summer Ski on Mount Rainier June 30th-July 1st, 2009

It was predicted to be a warm couple days that I had off of work and Tyler Jones (RMI guide) had just returned to Ashford from a couple of months in Alaska, so we decided to ski Mt. Rainier. The night before our ski we headed up Copper Creek Road to check out our intended descent via the Tahoma Glacier from Glacier View. Spotting scope in tow, we planned our route and how to avoid the end-of-June crevasses. We got up early the next morning to drop a car off at the parking area on the Westside Road where we would finish up the following afternoon. We drove the other vehicle up to the Paradise parking area to start the climb. Our ascent route consisted of dropping onto the Nisqually Glacier, crossing over to the Wilson Glacier, and heading up the Fuhrer Finger. The Fuhrer Finger was fairly thin and sun-cupped at the time. There was also a fair bit of rockfall to dodge. We left skis on until arriving at the Finger and proceeded to boot pack the remainder of the way to our camp.

We camped near the top of the Finger on the Nisqually Tower. We had some delicious cold pizza, snacks, and water before an afternoon nap to get out of the sun.

The views were great looking 200ft down onto the Nisqually Glacier and watching the sunset over Mt. Adams with the moon on the rise. We got up at a relaxed 7:00 am, made a quick breakfast and headed towards the Wapowety Cleaver. Again a warm day with low winds, we came up to the east summit in a baselayer. We had topped out in the late morning, leaving us a couple hours to hang out on the summit while we waited for the snow conditions to become ripe for the skiing.

We set up the tent on top for a bit and dried out our boots. At two o’clock we clicked into our skis and prepped for the descent. We faced north towards Liberty Cap, then headed skier’s left towards the top of the Sickle feature of the upper Tahoma Glacier.

The skiing conditions were phenomenal…super smooth for the entirety of the descent save some crunchy wind-blown snow for the first 300ft off of the summit. We cruised down the lower Tahoma Glacier, floating around or over crevasses reaching the end of the snow at 4,800ft. Here we swapped our ski boots out for approach shoes and started hiking down the loose rocks of the Tahoma Creek bed.

The descent on foot was scenic, but involved some interesting 5.6 mud moves as well as some low friction volcanic dusty slab. We linked up with the Wonderland Trail where it crosses Tahoma Creek to take us out towards Westside Road and eventually my car. After retrieving the other car up at Paradise, it was back to Ashford for dinner. - Laura, Whittaker Mountaineering

RMI Guide and Owner of Whittaker Mountaineering Peter Whittaker shares gear tips with Backpacker Magazine

Excerpt from Backpacker Magazine, November 2009

• Follow the four-second rule. “There are zillions of zippers out there. Here’s how you choose: If it takes you longer than four seconds to get your jacket zipped, it’s not going to work on the mountain. Try another zipper – or if you’re a consumer in the store, try another jacket.”

• Strip away the doodads. “Most new, whiz-bang features just get in the way. You don’t need a pocket on your forearm when you have a Napoleon pocket. And I have no idea why glove designers insist on putting that webbing loop on the back of the middle finger. I’ve heard it’s so you can hang them to dry, but tell me–who does that at 17,000 feet?”

• Kill the pit zips. “If you’re using pit zips on a big mountain, then you shouldn’t be wearing a jacket anyway. As mountain guides, when we look back and see clients fiddling with pit zips, we see people not paying attention to the climb and compromising safety. Too hot? Pull up your sleeves or unzip your shirt to get some ventilation.”

• Don’t be afraid to scrap a bad idea. “On Everest, we watched our prototype tent flapping in the wind, and Ed Viesturs and I dived into a competitor’s tent instead. We killed that design and are spending another year in development rather than putting out a subpar product.”

NFL Films Presents NFL/United Way Mount Rainier Climb

We just got word that last summers NFL Climb will be broadcasted on ESPN2 during the following times:
11/24 2:00 am EST ESPN2
11/25 2:30 pm EST ESPN2

11/28 9:00 am and 10:30 AM EST on the NFL Network.

A lot of good Rainier footage, with some great people.

A warm November Day at Paradise

November 4, 2009

A Warm November Day at Paradise

In early November at the 5400 foot elevation of Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park, it’s most unusual to be taking coats off before hiking up the trails closer to the mountain. But that is exactly what we did on November 4, 2009 even with patches of snow on the slopes left over from snowfall the prior weekend. I giggled as my hiking partners started out with their hats and gloves knowing that just climbing upward always makes me warm. As they shed their hats, gloves and fleeces soon after we began to climb, we talked about how warm it was and how it felt like a summer day. November weather in the mountains brings lots of clouds, rain, wind and also some sun that will appear briefly but disappears as fast as it came. Therefore, when the first week of November turned out sunny, we rushed to the mountain for a final autumn hike before the cooler weather came and snow made us wear snowshoes.


The national park is now in its winter mode with the Stevens Canyon Road closed along with the one way Valley Exit Road down through Paradise Valley. The Paradise Visitor Center is open throughout the snow months but only on the weekends and holidays. On this warm November day during the work week, the parking lot had a couple dozen cars so we had the Paradise trails pretty much to ourselves.

The mountain light at Paradise gives Mount Rainier a different face every day. When the clouds bump up against the mountain or pass over the summit they often add an interesting decorative element showcased from the wide open views at Paradise. On this day new snow lightly covered the summer bare rocky areas laying the first white layer that would build to a deep winter robe covering the mountain. Golden meadow grasses from the fall season lay flat over the terrain or smashed under remaining snow with bits of red bushes contrasting brightly with the patches of white. Despite all these unique sights, it was the warmth of the day that both surprised and delighted us as we walked upward on the snowy slushy Deadhorse Creek trail.

After rounding a corner we came upon a bird that was feeding right by the trail. At first we thought it was a grouse because of its size, but after standing next to it and snapping pictures we decided this was a Ptmarigan whose feathers were changing to their winter white making it practically invisible as it stands on the snowy slopes during winter. As we hiked higher and closer to Mount Rainier on this warm November day, the magic of our close proximity stopped us in our tracks to stare at this magnificent majestic sight. Hiking at Paradise is definitely being in PARADISE!

Written by:
Sally Johnson
www.mtrainierphotos.com

NOTE: After this warm first week in November storms brewed, temperatures dropped and the snow fell. Paradise presently has approximately 40 inches of snow and winter has officially come to Mount Rainier National Park. Get out the snowshoes, X-skis, snowboards or downhill skis. Be ready to hike upward for peaceful snowy fun!


Winter Snowshoe & Ski book can be purchased here.
WhittakerMountaineering.com

Gifford Pinchot update

Gifford Pinchot forest ready for summer visitors By ALLEN THOMAS Columbian staff writer Winter has relinquished its grip on all but the highest elevations in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, opening up hiking, camping and fishing choices as summer hits full stride between the Fourth of July and Labor Day.

The snow level is roughly at 4,500 feet elevation, although that varies significantly in different portions of the 1.3-million-acre Gifford Pinchot.

Hikers will find snow in much of Indian Heaven Wilderness and most of the best places in the Mount Adams and Goat Rocks wildernesses.

Roger Peterson, a Pinchot spokesman in Vancouver, said recreationists need to remember to leave their fireworks at home this weekend.

Possessing fireworks or other pyrotechnic devices are prohibited on national forest lands, he noted.

"Fireworks can start wildfires,'' Peterson said.

Forest officials also are urging visitors to the blast zone area north of Mount St. Helens to consider not bringing their pets.

"When summer temperatures reach into the 80s and 90s, the exposed landscape around Mount St. Helens is a very harsh environment,'' Peterson said.

Road No. 99 to the popular Windy Ridge viewpoint on the east side of Spirit Lake will open Friday, Peterson said.

Road No. 25 connecting the upper Lewis River area and the Cowlitz Valley is open. A one-lane bridge at Benham Creek near Randle will route motorists past a slide that occurred during the winter.

Road No. 23 connecting Randle and Trout Lake is open. The washout at Baby Shoe Pass was repaired last year.

Road No. 2329 in the High Lakes area is open from the south as far as Divide Camp No. 112 trailhead, but not to Killen Creek.

Road No. 83 to Lava Canyon Recreation Area is open, but road No. 81 is closed between Kalama Horse Camp and road No. 830 leading to Climber's Bivouac. Access to Climber's Bivouac is open from the east via roads Nos.
83 and 81.

Lava Canyon trail No. 184 will be closed while the bridge washed out in flooding during early November of 2006 is replaced, Peterson said. Ape Canyon trail No. 234 will remain open.

Road No. 54 remains closed by landslides six miles east of Chelatchie Prairie.

In the north end of the forest, road No. 2160 is open to Walupt Lake and the campground is open.

Takhlakh Lake campground is accessible, but the water system is not yet working. There are no fees being charged until the services are ready.

On Tuesday, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife stocked 200 rainbow trout averaging 3 pounds in Takhlakh.

Almost 500 trout were stocked last week in both Forlorn Lake No. 1 and No.
2.

Major campgrounds open for the weekend include Beaver, Panther Creek, Paradise Creek, Lower Falls, Forlorn Lakes, Moss Creek, Oklahoma, Peterson Prairie, Goose Lake, Trout Lake Creek, Walupt Lake, Tower Rock, Sunset Falls, Olallie, North Fork, Iron Creek, La Wis Wis, Big Creek and Adams Fork.

Lantern rentals are available at Ape Cave daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.



**********************************************************
Roger M. Peterson
Public Affairs Office
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
US Forest Service
10600 NE 51st Circle
Vancouver, WA 98682
Phone: 360.891.5007 FAX: 360.891.5010
rmpeterson@fs.fed.us
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/
SERVING PEOPLE and Caring for the Land

Congrats to Dave Hahn

Mount Rainier Climbing Ranger and Climbing Guide Recognized for 2002 Rescue

A Mount Rainier National Park climbing ranger and a renowned Mount Rainier
climbing guide will be receiving a Valor Award and a Citizen’s Award for
Bravery from the U.S. Department of the Interior at an awards ceremony in
Washington D.C. on May 6. National Park Service Climbing Ranger Chris
Olson and Climbing Guide Dave Hahn, who currently works with Rainier
Mountaineering Inc., of Ashford, Washington, will be receiving their awards
from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar for the rescue of a badly
injured climber on Mount Rainier on June 25, 2002.

Chief Ranger Chuck Young, who will be representing Mount Rainier National
Park at the annual ceremony, commented, “The efforts these two individuals
took to complete the rescue of the critically injured climber during the
2002 climbing season was nothing short of extraordinary.” Young explained
that, “ . . .even after surviving the crash of the helicopter that was
flying the rescuers up the mountain and helping with the rescue of the
injured pilot, they continued on with their mission to successfully
complete the rescue at an extremely hazardous area of the mountain”.

On June 25, 2002, a climber ascending Liberty Ridge on the north side of
Mount Rainier was severely injured when struck in the head by a very large
falling rock. His partners requested a rescue for the unconscious man via
a personal cell phone. Accessing, stabilizing, treating and rescuing the
patient on Liberty Ridge is quite hazardous and involved continued exposure
to the same rock fall hazards. Because of their climbing and rescue
abilities, Chris Olson and David Hahn were selected for the mission.

While being inserted by contract helicopter on the glacier at the base of
Liberty Ridge, the ship crashed and was completely destroyed. Remarkably,
Olson, Hahn and the pilot were not seriously injured, though Olson was
struck by the engine and doused in oil. Though stressed and shaken, Olson
and Hahn regained their composure and assisted in evacuating the pilot via
a U.S. Army Chinook Helicopter. Afterward, the two refocused their
attention to the injured climber and ascended to the accident site to help
complete the rescue. The rescue involved patient stabilization and a long
technical rope rescue through the hazardous terrain back to the helicopter
crash site for hoist extraction. This dramatic and complex rescue took
place in a very challenging and dangerous location. It was Olson’s and
Hahn’s skill, tenacity, and extraordinary personal efforts that allowed the
successful rescue of this climber.

The Valor Award is presented to Department of the Interior employees who
have demonstrated unusual courage involving a high degree of personal risk
in the face of danger.

The Citizen's Award for Bravery is granted to private citizens for heroic
acts or unusual bravery in the face of danger. Recipients have risked their
lives to save the life of a Departmental employee or the life of another
person on property owned by or entrusted to the Department of the Interior.

--NPS--

Whittaker Mountaineering introduces First Ascent

We are pleased to announce the First Ascent line available now at Whittaker Mountaineering

Snow adventure at Mt Rainier

X-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing
Mt. Rainier National Park

Paradise at 5400 feet elevation is the ultimate winter experience in Mt. Rainier National Park. But, weather sometimes changes this wonderful area into a cold, windy and can’t see a foot in front of you place. So, here are some outstanding alternatives inside the park.

Cougar Rock Campground
Location: 2 miles past Longmire on the left side of the road.
There are six flat campground loop roads covered in deep untracked snow in amongst tall old growth trees. This is a perfect place for X-skiing! Since I don’t have skis, I explore the campground on snowshoes wishing I was able to glide quickly along my way.

Barn Flats Meadow
Location: Below Paradise
Three entrances to Barn Flats Meadow:
1. From the Nisqually Road on the right side about a mile past Narada Falls but before reaching Paradise.
(This is the best way for X-Country Skiers because it is a flat trail into the meadow)
2. Upon entering Paradise on the right side of the road a clearing has been plowed for a trail down into Barn Flats.
3. From the back far side of the Paradise Parking Lot. Another clearing has been plowed that allows people to go down into Barn Flats or access the snow covered Valley Road down into Paradise Valley.

These are two great places for winter fun in the snow! Mt. Rainier National Park offers a variety of places to snowshoe and ski. For more detailed information about what the town of Ashford and Mt. Rainier National Park offers, Whittaker Mountaineering Store sells the only Winter Snowshoe & Ski Information Guide with MAPS.


Sally Johnson
www.mtrainierphotos.com